Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4 Western Australia, Series 4
Volume 7
Number 10 1966 Article 6
1-1-1966
Heavy rate set stocking : Esperance Downs Research Station Heavy rate set stocking : Esperance Downs Research Station
R J. Doyle
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Recommended Citation Recommended Citation
Doyle, R J. (1966) "Heavy rate set stocking : Esperance Downs Research Station," Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4: Vol. 7: No. 10, Article 6.
Available at: https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/journal_agriculture4/vol7/iss10/6
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MORE SHEEP PER ACRE
Heavy Rate Set Stocking — Esperance Downs Research Station
By R. J . DOYLE
T H I S article describes a stocking rate demonstration in one paddock at Esperance Downs Research Station, using M e r i n o wethers.
Paddock El., as it is commonly known, has excited much comment from visitors and local farmers alike.
It consists of 120 acres of annual pasture based on Bacchus Marsh subterranean clover sown during 1950-52, and top- dressed annually to the present time to an accumulated total of 2,350 lb. superphos- phate per acre plus the necessary trace elements, copper and zinc.
Since establishment to pasture no crop- ping has been done and the paddock has not been cultivated.
Since December 1961, the area has sup- ported 530 to 540 Merino wethers under continuous grazing. This represents a stocking rate of 9 wethers per 2 acres over a period of 4i years.
To March 1966 (over 4 years) greasy wool production has exceeded 250 lb. per
Part of the wether flock on paddock E l , stocked at 4 i sheep per acre since 1961 THE AUTHOR: R. J. Doyle, B.Sc. (Agrlc.)—District Agricultural Adviser, Esperance.
458
acre, and total fodder supplementation to June 1966, has amounted to a cereal grain equivalent of i lb. per head per day over 14 weeks. If it can be accepted that no further supplementation will be required before next summer, then the annual cost of hand feeding spread over five years from December 1961 to December 1966, would be 25 to 30 cents a head—a small cost to debit against the average annual wool production figure of 58 lb. per acre.
The history of Paddock El can be con- veniently divided into three periods.
1 9 5 0 - 1 9 6 1
During 1950 to 1961 the paddock was stocked under a loose rotational grazing system. The area was generally subjected to infrequent grazing at varying grazing pressures and with different classes of stock. Up to 1961 the pasture had been generally understocked and this led to increasing grass dominance. At this point two possibilities were considered:
(1) Cereal crop the area and return to pasture.
(2) Increase stocking rate to control or lower annual grass content.
1962-1965
The second alternative was accepted and 540 Merino wethers were introduced in December, 1961, and maintained on the paddock until their sale in March, 1965.
The success of this policy is evident from Table 1.
In 1963 top lines of spring-shorn Merino wether wool from Esperance Downs Research Station realised 90 pence per lb.
Fleeces from El wethers as a whole were more uniform and there were less tender fleeces than from the rest of the flock.
Esperance Downs Research Station is 18 miles north of Esperance and has an annual rainfall of about 17£ i n . , of which more than 11 in. falls between May and October. The soils are sandy at the surface, overlying gravel and clay, and are typical of the better soils of the Esperance sandplain.
In this demonstration A\ Merino wethers per acre have been carried continuously on well-established pas- ture based on Bacchus Marsh subter- ranean clover, for more than four years. Hand feeding has been neces- sary at critical periods for the past two years, and this stocking rate appears to be near the safety l i m i t for productive pasture in this area.
Sheep Condition and Mortality
During the period under discussion, mortality was light except for losses following dipping in 1963, due to arsenical poisoning. Except for this period of accidental loss, the condition and body weight of the flock was never a cause for concern.
Pasture Composition
The composition of the pasture tended to stabilise, progressing from grass domin- ance before 1961 to a mixture with a greater proportion of wild geranium and capeweed. The annuals silver grass, barley grass and brome grass now form less of the non-leguminous fraction. Legume components include Bacchus Marsh sub.
clover and cluster clover, with Dwalganup and Yarloop sub. clovers in less proportion.
Over the winter period at the high stocking rate pasture growth was never
Per head Per acre
Table 1 . -
1962 12 months
10 45
-Wool production (lb. greasy)
1963 12 months
1964 12 months
14 12 63* 55
1
1965 6 months
7.5 34
Total, 3J years
43.5 197
Average per Year
12.4 56
* Wool production records were not kept separately for E l . for the 1963 shearing. The wool cut per head of all Merino Wethers on the Research Station averaged 14 lb.
459
m u c h in excess of sheep demand, b u t by t h e end of spring sufficient extra feed was available to carry sheep t h r o u g h t h e summer, a u t u m n , a n d break of t h e season, without supplementation.
1965-1966
Due to t h e increasing age of t h e wethers described it was decided to sell t h e m off- shears in March, 1965. Although i n very good order, depressed wool prices reduced t h e demand a n d hence sale value of t h e s e sheep. However, bearing i n mind t h e m a r k e t position a t t h a t time, r e t u r n s were good:
217 loose, long a n d broken m o u t h wethers sold on t h e place to butchering t r a d e @ 57s. a head.
312 sound m o u t h wethers sold a t auction
@ 62s. a head.
The 217 (sold in March) were described as "a bit too fat for t h e t r a d e . "
Following t h e sale of t h e original Merino wethers, 540 replacements of various age groups were introduced to t h e paddock following shearing, dipping, drenching a n d vaccination. All sheep h a d been mulesed previously. Age groups were:
90—Rising 2-tooth.
90—Rising 4-tooth.
90—Rising 6-tooth.
180—Full a n d fresh full.
90—Loose a n d broken.
T h e introduction of various age groups will allow regular a n n u a l replacement of t h e oldest group w i t h rising 2-tooth Merino wethers, a n d will provide informa- tion on t h e relative performance of wethers of varying ages r u n together a t
h i g h stocking rate. All sheep a r e identified by n u m b e r e d ear tags a n d are weighed monthly.
Wool production a n d live-weight records to March shearing 1966 for t h e newly- introduced group a r e set out in Table 2, a n d indicate t h e continued h i g h p r o d u c - tion from t h i s paddock.
T h e seasonal change in bodyweight is depicted in t h e graph, indicating t h e period of feed shortage. I t is normal for bodyweights t o decline over t h e s u m m e r - a u t u m n period b u t t h e sheep r e t u r n t o h i g h bodyweights by late spring. High production h a s been m a i n t a i n e d under these conditions.
General
Wool production h a s again been m a i n - t a i n e d a t a h i g h level—62 lb. greasy wool per acre, w i t h t h e average cut per h e a d per group r a n g i n g from 12.7 to 14.3 lb.
Because t h e m a n a g e m e n t of this demon- s t r a t i o n calls for t h e introduction of young wethers t o t h e paddock following s h e a r - ing in March, a t a time when t h e quality a n d q u a n t i t y of feed is low, it would be expected t h a t some hand-feeding would be necessary. This h a s been t h e case a n d t h e cost of this supplementation h a s already been discussed.
During May, 1965, it was necessary only to feed a t a r a t e equivalent to \ lb. oat grain per h e a d for one m o n t h . However, following heavy rainfall in J a n u a r y - February, 1966, t h e q u a n t i t y a n d almost certainly t h e quality of dry paddock feed deteriorated a t a faster r a t e t h a n in
Age
2-tooth (90) 4-tooth (90) 6-tooth (90) F. and F.F. (ISO) Loose and broken (90) ....
Average per month ....
Table 2 . — L i v e w e i g h t and wool production.
Liveweight (lb.), including wool
1965/66
1965
Mar.
64 84 109
102 Apl.
60
109 105 94
May
55 74 94 102 99 88
June
60 77 94 100 92 87
July
69 85 99 105 96
Aug.
78 95 109 103 113 93 | 100
l
Sept. 1 O c t .
80 97 I I I 114 105
100 119 134 139 129
Nov.
106 125 141 146 138 104 127 134
Dec.
104 126 140 142 133 131
1966
Jan.
93 114 127 128 119 118
Feb.
90 112 123 124 113 IIS
Av.
per year
78 99 115 119 113 107
Wool Production (lb.).
March shearing, 1966
Per Per head ! acre
12.7 9.5 13.7 10.3 14.3 10.7 14.1 11.2 13.0 9.8 Total : 621b. per
acre
460
previous years, a n d supplementation com- menced in mid March and continued to late May. Worm infestation was evident for t h e first time, a n d this coupled with suspected paratyphoid undoubtedly worsened t h e situation generally. Shortly after d r e n c h i n g for i n t e r n a l parasite con- trol supplementation was stopped and all groups improved in condition a n d gained in bodyweight, on a n improving pasture.
SUMMARY
Observations over a 4^-year period have highlighted t h e production potential of old, well-established a n n u a l legume-based pasture in t h e Esperance district.
• Merino wethers stocked at 4J sheep a n acre have grazed continuously on 120 acres Bacchus Marsh sub.
clover for 4 i years, with limited supplementation over the last two years only.
Total wool production (greasy) over the period exceeded 250 lb.
per acre w i t h no a p p a r e n t deterioration in the wool value when compared with other Merino wool produced on t h e Research
Station.
With continuous grazing a t high stocking r a t e obvious worm infes- t a t i o n was evident in only one period (May, 1966) over the 4£
years. Wethers are given a n a n n u a l d r e n c h in early summer, w h e n grazing dry paddock feed.
Continuous grazing a t a high stocking r a t e h a s resulted in a build-up of t h e herbaceous
Ho
130 120 O110 o s f 100
-a
=:
o 90
*. 70
% 60 m >
Z 50
S 0 N D J
> U -
Seasonal liveweight trends of wethers of varying ages, set-stocked at 4-'x sheep per acre
1965 966
species, wild geranium and cape- weed, at the expense of annual grasses.
• The plant components wild geranium and capeweed have accepted heavy grazing pressure in early winter and coupled with subsequent build up of clover species in late winter-spring, have provided better quality summer feed than would be provided by grass dominant pastures.
• Hand feeding has been necessary in the last two years because of feed shortage in autumn-early winter. This may indicate that the stocking rate is near the upper limit for poorer seasons.
• The paddock will continue to be grazed under the present system to further study the long-term effects on pasture production and composition, and animal produc- tion.
PRECAUTION
There is a danger that the above results might lead growers into over-stocking
pastures which are not as productive as the one described.
Progress to high stocking should be gradual and the rate selected must be in keeping with the productivity of the pasture, the "thrift" of animals used, water supplies and other factors. The normal procedures for animal disease prevention should be followed.
The stocking rate selected for the area described appears to be near the limit.
Under these conditions some form of fodder reserve is necessary for the poorer seasons. This could be considered as a drought reserve, because hand-feeding would not be necessary in most years.
It is not suggested that pastures be stocked beyond a safe limit. If a wether stocking rate slightly lower than the one adopted in the demonstration had been used, it is unlikely that supplementary feeding would have been necessary to this time.
For maintenance of the clover com- ponent in pastures regular topdressing of superphosphate at an adequate level is necessary.
Red mite should be controlled in years of heavy infestation.
462
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